Page 51 of Spellbound & Speechless
“Not romantically, silly! Just call me the pack matchmaker! The patchmaker? Does that have a ring to it?”
“No.”
“Youaretrying to join the Crivello pack, right?”
“Wrong.”
I don’t trust a witch to know what being a lone wolf means. I’ve lived my life this way. Some lone wolves get kicked from packs, forced to go off alone. That’s not my case. I was made to live like this, and if I have it my way, I’lldie like this.
No matter what my mother’s history dictates. She was the leader of our pack until my father died, and some would expect the same from me. I don’t have it in me.
Laurel fills the rest of our walk with chatter, but I stay quiet, planning my talking points with the other wolves. I have nothing to leverage for their help—no money, and I’m definitely not joining their pack.
There’s a chance I can get them to agree to an alliance without me joining them. Small-town wolves are nicer than the ones in the city. They’ll have reasons to want to keep the Hawthornes alive, which is why I’m here. That’s what I care about.
Well, I care about one Hawthorne in particular, but I’ll do what I can for the rest.
Dozens of wolves turn to stare when we enter the private room in the back of the tavern.
Laurel wiggles her fingers and bounces on the balls of her feet, clearly more excited than I am.
The room smells like wolves—like kin. Others are around, too. There are a few humans, witches, and even a single vampire. The mates, family, and friends of the pack, I assume.
Laurel isn’t so out of place, even though I don’t understand why she’s tagging along.
“Go greet them.” Laurel nudges me with her bony elbow.
“Yeah, yeah.” I glare at her. “I’m working on it.”
I don’t have to work hard. Antoni approaches me, slings an arm around my shoulder, and leads me to the bar. “You came! I didn’t know if you would.”
“Neither did I.”
Laurel floats off in another direction. Guess she was serious about trying to hit it off with one of the werewolves.
“Let me get you a beer.” He holds up a hand, grinning. “Platonically. I swear.”
“Sure.” I lift a shoulder. “Won’t say no to a drink. Whatever you’re drinking is fine with me.”
The bartender—a human I vaguely recognize from my shifts—slides us two pints. I lift mine, and when Antoni chugs, I follow suit.
This is what I always imagined pack meetings wouldlook like. Laughter, drinks, food, and friendship. I’ve had friends before, of course, but never a group of wolves. My heart tugs with a longing, similar to the one I feel for Aspen.
It’s not the first time I’ve had to push this longing away. The choices I’m making for my life don’t come naturally to me or anyone like me. Being alone is all I’ve ever known, but staying that way means fighting a part of me that will always exist. The wolf in me.
“How long are you in town for, anyway?” Antoni asks. “Iknowyou’re working here.”
“Sounds like you’ve seen me around?” I lift a brow.
He pinches his fingers together. “Little bit.”
Which means he still has a soft spot for me. That could work in my favor.
I drag a finger along the polished wooden bar. “I don’t know how long I’m staying, but it’s a good workplace. You ever consider picking up a shift or two here?”
“Me? No way. I’m a busy man.”
Time to get down to business. I’m not above using his crush to get what I want—to protect Aspen.
